Starting Anew

A new year, a new beginning. And for some lucky strayed or surrendered pets, it may also bring a new home.

Agencies throughout the tristate region labor assiduously to assist homeless or abandoned animals, as well as to reduce the homeless population through education and spay/neuter programs. And the benefits for the pets and their people are immeasurable.

Jeremiah Bickford of Norfolk is just one of many area residents who has chosen to take in a scared, formerly homeless dog and to give it a loving home. Over the past year his dog, Burr, has started to trust and to love.

“Adopting a shelter animal has a certain amount of risk, especially with adult animals,” Bickford said of his 90-pound pit bull-hound mix. “We can’t know what they have been exposed to. But watching a scared animal adjust to a loving, gentle environment and start to trust again, is one of the most rewarding experiences a pet owner can have.”

Shelters and rescue programs come in all sizes and levels of service. The one Bickford used, Second Chance in Bethel, is an all-volunteer agency run by Janet Schroeder, who has volunteered at local shelters for the past 27 years and fostered more than 1,700 animals in her home and barn.

“We are incredibly proud to have saved over 4,300 cats and dogs over the years, all without a paid staff and on a shoe-string budget,” she said.

Many of Second Chance’s animals are relocated from the South where shelters often face massive numbers of animals needing care, far exceeding available resources and leading to high rates of euthanasia.

Some shelters in Northern states still euthanize homeless animals, too but the trend here is strongly moving towards "no-kill," with states such as Delaware, New Hampshire, Rhode Island and Vermont already achieving this level, closely followed by Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts.

Schroeder, a member of the Humane Society's National Disaster Response Team, has done rescue work in puppy mills. She coordinated the transport, vetting and adoption of more than 2,200 dogs in the past 10 years, including disabled and senior dogs. Five hundred and twenty-four puppy mill dogs made the trip to Connecticut to find loving homes. Another 2,000 were transported to rescues in other states.

Following a happy update on the progress of Bickford’s new adoptee, she wrote, “We all work hard to save as many as we can. We cry over the ones we can’t save and rejoice over the stories like Burr’s.”

While Schroeder depends on the hard work of volunteers and a shoestring budget, another area shelter has grown substantially over the 65 years since its founding and now has an annual budget of about $800,000.

The Little Guild of St. Francis, the only limited admission shelter in Northwest Connecticut, was founded in 1960 by Muriel Alvord Ward and Eleanora Kleinschmidt. A limited-intake animal shelter selectively accepts animals, unlike open-intake shelters that must take all strays and surrenders from their area.

The Little Guild is now completing a multi-year program to upgrade its facility and expects to be in its new quarters at 285 Sharon-Goshen Turnpike in Cornwall in mid-February. An open house is planned for February 22.

The new headquarters will consist of four “pods”—kennels—and a “living room” to provide a calming atmosphere for dogs who cannot adjust to kennel life. A total of 18 dogs can be accommodated as they await adoption.

The Little Guild has a lengthy protocol for families who wish to adopt as it seeks to ensure a proper fit between pet and new owner.

Jenny Langendeorfer, executive director, said the shelter’s services address a broad spectrum of pet ownership, all with the goal of finding forever homes for the animals they place. Services included educational programs that reach out to schools and community groups and are designed to foster compassion and respect for animals; a foster program that provides temporary homes for animals, allowing them to adapt to life in a home; a Pet Pantry that operates entirely through the generosity of donors, funding to help families struggling financially and training for pets and owners under the supervision of an experienced dog trainer.

Perhaps most importantly, the Little Guild has spay/neuter programs that include ensuring their adoptable animals are fixed before leaving the facility. Vouchers are provided for adoptees that are too young or medically compromised for immediate surgery.

It also offers reduced-cost clinics and education to the community to control pet overpopulation and supports Trap-Neuter-Release (TNR) for feral cats.

As with Second Chance, volunteers are essential to the continued work at the Little Guild. Volunteers can do jobs as diverse as fostering pets, visiting with the animals housed at the facility, walking dogs, helping at community events and the like.

Not all animals who come into care are young and feisty, however. Red Leash Rescue in Fairfield County is a 10-year-old 501(c)3 non-profit that accepts adult, senior and terminally ill dog rescues. Its mission is to provide a refuge, love and care to abandoned, surrendered or discarded dogs and it works with animal control facilities across Fairfield County, taking in dogs that have been overlooked by potential adopters or are having difficulty in a shelter.

It also accepts dogs coming from homes where the owner has died or has had to surrender the animal. Once in the Red Leash network, the pet is checked by a vet, spayed or neutered, microchipped and vaccinated. Any health concerns are addressed before the animal is placed in foster care.

Being in a home allows the often-traumatized pets to decompress from their time in the shelter or any loss or neglect they endured.

Since its founding in 2015, Red Leash has placed nearly 1,000 adoptees. Even in this year’s economically challenging environment that has slowed adoptions, Red Leash was proud to relocate more than 45 adult, senior and hospice dogs to loving homes.

Red Leash’s long-term goal is to complement its foster program with a multi-use, home-like, sanctuary for terminally ill dogs, dogs bequeathed to its care as well as adoptable dogs that do not have a foster.

Up in Berkshire County, Berkshire Humane Society, an open-admission shelter at 214 Barker Road in Pittsfield MA also offers a variety of programs and services that promote the welfare of animals and their people.

In addition to adoptions, BHS offers community outreach programs that include a Cat Community Program designed to promote the humane care and acceptance of feral cats throughout Berkshire County and beyond. Its Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program seeks to stabilize and, ultimately, to reduce populations of feral cats.

BHS is committed to ending pet overpopulation and homelessness through low-cost spay and neuter programs for cats and dogs. Cat owners receiving public assistance can participate in the Cat Spay/Neuter Initiative Program, or Cat SNIP. The cost is $150 for either spaying or neutering and includes a rabies vaccination and microchip. Payment is due at the time of registration.

Throughout the year, Berkshire Humane Society applies for grants to provide low-cost spaying and neutering events for both cats and dogs. These are also intended for pet owners with limited financial means.

Additionally, a wellness program, available by appointment only, provides reduced-cost wellness visits, vaccinations and preventative treatments for pet owners. While there are no income restrictions, those able to make an appointment with a full-service vet are asked to do so to allow BHS to care for pets who might not otherwise receive medical attention.

Families who are thinking of surrendering their pet are encouraged to talk with a staff member to see if resources are available to help them keep their animal. There are programs such as Pet Safe which provides free foster care in certain circumstances or the Pet Food Bank which helps keep pets in their loving homes when their owners are experiencing difficulties.

There is no charge for surrendering an animal to BHS but donations are appreciated to help cover the cost of caring for the animal while at the shelter. Call 413-447-7878, ext. 124 for cats and small animals; ext. 126 for dogs

Over in New York State, the Dutchess SPCA is a limited admission facility that does not accept animals surrendered by owners, aggressive dogs or feral cats. It does accept strays and abused or neglected pets through the Sheriff's Office Humane Law division.
Those in a difficult situation with their pets should reach out directly to see if it can help through its community assistance programs.

A Community Clinic Program can be a lifeline for pet owners who are struggling to afford private veterinary services. It provides non-critical health services for pets by appointment on Fridays from 1-4 PM for families with low or fixed incomes, seniors living on social security and individuals experiencing temporary hardship.

To learn more about upcoming clinic dates, eligibility guidelines, or how to schedule an appointment, 845-452-7722 ext. 425 or email clinic@dcspca.org .